Healthy Digestion: Your Key To Super Immunity

Posted by Lori Shemek; September 6, 2013

When I tell people that their digestive tract is a critical key to keeping colds, flu and more far away, they think I’ve lost it.

The truth is that your digestive tract is not just an important component of your optimal health, but your emotional well-being as well. To pull this off, our digestive system creates a strong balancing act that includes an army of friendly bacteria or probiotics.

70% of your immune response resides in your gut.

These probiotics or good bacteria enhance the function of our ‘natural killer’ immune cells that suppress inflammation. They are much like a barrier (1 cell thick in fact) on our gut wall that prevents foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses and more from setting up camp. These tiny healthy bacteria make-up 3-5 pounds of your body weight!

Through research, we now know that these friendly bacteria can influence our neurological genetic expression by reducing anxiety, stress, and depression. In fact, our 30-foot long digestive tract is also the home of the largest concentration of neurotransmitters such as the ‘happy’ transmitter, serotonin.

Drugs such known as proton pump inhibitors, and H2 blockers (Pepsid AC, Prilosec, Zantac, etc) are not creating optimal health for you. In fact, they are doing just the opposite. These drugs reduce the production of acid necessary for optimal nutrient absorption. In fact, the critical vitamin B-12 is compromised with these drugs. Vitamin B-12 needs a high concentration of stomach acid in order to break it down.

We also know, due to recent research, that those taking drugs for acid reflux, heartburn, and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), may raise the risk of heart disease and heart attack, by constricting blood vessels, thereby reducing blood flow.

Prevention is key. However, chances are you are one of more than 100 million Americans who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, reflux, gas, and more. By including the recommended supplements below, you will begin to heal quickly and return to optimal physical and neurological health.